stellafortunalogs | JANUARY MINGLE

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JANUARY MINGLE

January Mingle: A Ballad in Goblets
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
You open your eyes to an unfamiliar sight. A cool breeze flits through rustic buildings and sunny streets, carrying the smell of flowers and wine. The very air itself seems charged with mana, the warm pulse of the land palpable beneath your feet. This is a new world, a world where the elements compose all of reality. Before you is a bubbling fountain, and a key is entwined between your fingers. And that weight on your hip? A sparkling bauble that you've never seen before, yet it feels natural, as if it had always been there.

Asking around nets you the name of this world - Teyvat - and the name of this city - Mondstadt, blessed by the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. Your new home is accessible with the key placed in your hands, though this also brings to mind another question. How will you get money? Food isn't free, after all.

Luckily for you, there's plenty of jobs available for the enterprising Traveler. Be it taking requests from the Adventurers' Guild, or working part-time at one of Mondstadt's many food establishments, Mora is to be had when hard work is involved. The cuisine of Mondstadt is best paired with its wine, served at bars or enjoyed in private with a few friends.

And about that shining gem. locals will tell you that it is a Vision, a sign of favour from Teyvat's elemental gods. With the Vision on hand, you find yourself capable of commanding one of the seven elements. What will you do with this newfound blessing? Use it for good... or for evil?

Mondstadt's liveliness doesn't diminish when night falls. Bards sing through the wee hours of the night, and the lights of the city help keep most evildoers at bay. All seems peaceful, a pastoral idyll of a life that seems more at home in a storybook. Yet for those Travelers who venture out beyond the city's walls and into the ruins dotting the landscape, they may discover hints of a bloodier past now forgotten.

Glancing at any of the calendars in the city will tell you the current date. August 10th was the day you arrived. As soon as the last minute of August 16th slips away, the world around you changes. A blink, and time itself rewinds by seven days. Looking outside, the mown lawns have regrown, the windmill needs fixing again, and the well is once again full. Just what is happening here? It seems only you, Traveler, remembers the week that never was.

State of the World

For the first two weeks of the game, IC time will be looping from August 10th to August 16th. It's currently late summer in Mondstadt, and the trees are just beginning to turn out their autumn colours. The weather is cool and pleasant, with light showers on Tuesday (11th) and Friday (14th). It's also a good time to go out gathering berries and nature's bounty from Mondstadt's forests and valleys.

These two weeks will let us trial out our commissions and regains system and craft improvements for February onwards. There will be no activity requirements for January, so all threads started during this time period can be used for regains!

For all questions regarding January's mingle and events, please head over to our OOC post.

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[ it's that hard life, being a child weapon smh... when the shrouded figure answer his inquiry, he gives him a once-over, because-- well.

you don't see this every day? okay? it's new, ]

You are not from this world either, I take it. [ he says this like it's strange, because it is; he's still wrapping his head around the whole 'dimensional nexus' clause of this whole thing. but in his get-up, Jun almost looks like he could pass for one of those that seem to serve the town. ] Have you taken any of these jobs yet? Do they really pay you for such errands...?

[ Hilda is trying to get somewhere, excuse, and she'd hoped to procure directions from the bard. Unfortunately, said bard cannot be deterred from his drunken music-making, and his melody about the cat persists all the louder for the intrusion.

She sighs, and looks around for anyone else loitering outside this time of night—when something hails down from the sky and bonks her over the head. ]

Ow! What the—?!

[ Hands clapped over her noggin, she tries to discern where in Fódlan—Teyvet the the root vegetable came from. (Aha! The culprit!) It's dark however, and she can't make out the figure very clearly from where he's situated, though the voice sounds incredibly familiar... (It's been years since she's seen Felix, and she probably wouldn't recognize him with his hair down. Something something vague gestures.) ]

Watch where you're aiming!

[ Rude af!! ]

[ Are you from around here?

That gets Zhongli to pause. Figaro can see the surprise in his amber eyes, albeit brief. His composure reforms after a moment, turning into something more thoughtful. ]

Pardon the strange question, but... have we met before?

[ He assumed Figaro's friendliness was out of their previous acquaintance, but this throws everything else into question. He distinctively remembers telling Figaro about Teyvat back on South Sister, and his memory can't fail. ]

Ah...Alright. Thank you.

[If Zhongli insists, he wasn't going to argue. So even in a situation like this, Zhongli was sticking to the arrangement not to meddle in Mondstat's affairs. Fair enough, he supposes. He had seemed pretty adamant about it when they talked of it before.

He follows after, like instructed. He's explored some of this city, but it's not like he knows the lay of the land well enough to be familiar with everything]

Where are we going?

[Yeah...Yeah he's pretty used to the stares and doesn't react to it. He really wishes he had another outfit to change into, since wandering around in this thing in broad daylight felt weird- but he needed money to do that]

Mm, I'm from Earth. [So this weirdo is from your neck of the woods! Good to know!] I haven't, but I don't see why they wouldn't. There's a service like this where I'm from, and as far as I know they pay.

Earth? [Like... the element? That raised as many questions as it answered. Like clearly this man is not from The Source or the First... or possibly any of the other shards. Unless one of them has a continent or region named after said Element. But he still tried to choose his words carefully.]

I hail from... Doma. A land located on... Hydaelyn. [It felt strange to refer to the entire planet, but at least every shard's unique world shared the name of the Mother Crystal to his knowledge.]

[The nod was a relief Takame didn't know he needed. The last thing he wanted to do was insult someone devout, no matter what world they may be from. The devout were the most frightening ones, but truly he just didn't want to be rude upon a first meeting.

Seeing Zhongli's Vision, Takame took the opportunity to give both it and him a meticulous head to toe scan, wanting to see exactly how he carried himself. Based on the way he spoke alone, Takame presumed either an undeserved sense of grandiosity, or true wisdom. The latter was leaned into more based on the man's demeanor.]

Is that right? Hm... [His scan stopped again at the Vision, now recognizing the sigil on it as the element of Earth, or Geo as he must now remember to call it.] You're quite knowledgeable about the laws of this world, ser...? [His head cocked slightly, asking for a name with the gesture and inflection.]

[ is their situation really that weird, though? maybe it is, but figaro can be too easygoing at times. one can chalk it up to how friendly and helpful everyone is in southern country, where the inhabitants have to pitch in together as a community, so no use acting like they're strangers when they're going to know more about each other in the coming months. ]

And once again you won't be, Serpico. It's not as though a doctor like myself is qualified for this odd job myself.

[ a magical doctor who's lived for far too long, anyway. he raps on the door and they're greeted with the relieved face of charles mingle, who ushers them inside and offers them tea and snacks as they're to sit down on the couch. hold on, let him get the necessary materials for a bit-- ]

And there's nothing wrong with specializing one over the other either. Who knows, maybe your experience as a herald might be a nice setup for a story we're about to help compose.

We will head to the open area outside of the city. Mondstadt is built on an island in the middle of Cider Lake. The element of Geo is present everywhere in the land beneath our feet, but the lake will introduce the influence of Hydro to its surrounds.

[ Also that Zhongli doesn't want to accidentally cause Mondstadt to cave into the lake, in case the black seal decides to suddenly release itself. ]

Magic in this world comes greatly from drawing on the elements around you, instead of from your own reserves or vitality. To bear the power of Geo is of advantage - while others may struggle to contrive flames in a snowy land or water in a desert, the earth is ever-present and will accompany you wherever you go.

[ Once they reach the grassy clearing before the Whispering Woods, he stops walking and closes his eyes. ]

The Vision should also grant you Elemental Sight, the ability to perceive concentrations of mana around you. Try to relax and call upon it in your mind.

[ ...a free meal? Hwi isn't sure if this man had seen him in his EMBARRASSING endeavor chicken-chasing but he's pretty sure if he had, he might not be complimenting his work ethic...

-- a-anyway, he's bowing his head politely in gratitude. he has better manners than to decline an offer like this, especially if it'll net him more than a meal. networking a bit is going to be important if he's going to get his bearings in this strange place

also he's really hungry so like........ are these convenient excuses, maybe, ]

Then I appreciate it, thank you.

[ and he's smiling as he heads toward the door!! ]

Would you accept a hand with the dishes, at the least? I like to earn my keep.

[ His hands are stained with the blood of countless humans who have followed him to their deaths. He bears the sin of sending five Adepti to a life of never-ending torment, and the crime of letting his most stalwart ally fall. Gods may be powerful, but they are not infallible. ]

I am Zhongli.

[ A tall man dressed in vestments of black and brown, accented by jewels of gold. Zhongli lacks significant body movement, holding himself to a quiet austerity. Once Takame has had a good look at his Vision, he returns it to its proper place on his coat ]

Welcome to Mondstadt.

[ It's not hard for him to identify the outlanders as an Archon, but... he can probably pass this comment off as innocuous. ]

[ Yup, it sure is crowded here. And while Serpico had given Felix a polite nod and a watery smile upon taking his seat, he also hadn't really reacted to that rude response.

It's fine. He's not really here to make friends, either, as reality TV stars would say. So he settles for quietly nursing a glass of water while waiting for his own order -- just a bowl of stew, something modest and inoffensive -- and glancing over a map of the area. Barely paying any attention to his tablemate until -- ]

Hmm? [ He glances down at the plate, then up at Felix, then back down at the plate. It looks ... fine? ] ... most people are paid to take on the role of poison-taster, aren't they? Ahaha.

[ Joking, joking! As evident in the light toen of his voice, equal parts playful and simpering. And though he sets aside his map and tilts his head to take a closer look at the dish -- mostly curious, though a tiny part of him is checking for foul play -- Serpico doesn't touch it. Yet. ]

Eeh ... it's quite generous of you, though. Shouldn't you be eating it yourself? I'm sure an active combatant like yourself needs the energy from something like this, no?

[ After all, it was kinda hard to miss how Felix was fiddling with his knife the whole time. ]

So this is familiar to you? [ odd jobs are nothing new, but... well, it's a little strange seeing so many of these 'outsiders' being sent on them, and he'd caught word a few of them involved combat. everything is Weird with a capital W... ]

That reminds me... do you know anything about these? [ he's pulling out his little Vision bauble of the Anemo variety and holding it out in his palm. ??? he has no idea what to make of this thing, but if this kid knew anything? that sure would be pretty cool in his book, ] It looks important, but I haven't seen anything like it where I'm from.

Hm?

[ figaro blinks at that strange reaction and the question that follows it, then shakes his head. ]

This is our first time meeting, I'm afraid. Maybe you've mistaken me for someone else? Then again I don't exactly blend in the crowd.

[ he may look ordinary enough in his doctor's coat and turtleneck, but his oddly-colored eyes are too striking to ignore. ]

[ Hm... Well, Zhongli will just roll with it. Even if Figaro has forgotten, they can become friends once again. Zhongli has all the time to rebuild their relationship. ]

My apologies, my memory is not as good as it used to be. I would still like to accompany you, if you will permit me.

[ Moving on... he makes a show of looking back at the menu again. Dandelion Wine is Venti's favourite drink, and thus Zhongli is naturally a little fond of it; but since Figaro wants to try something else, there's plenty on the bar's menu ]

Many of the cocktails here are crafted with both presentation and flavour in mind. [ A veritable rainbow of drinks, decorated with Mondstadt's array of fruits. ] Is there a type that you prefer?

Alright, but only after you feel rested.

[ Good Hunter's open-air front is already occupied wholly by diners, but there certainly are spare seats inside. It also shields Hwi from all the drunk bards trying to have a bard-off in their vicinity. The inside of the restaurant is comfortably lit by rustic lamps, and the smell of cooked meat wafts steadily out of the kitchen. ]

Is there anything in particular that you would like?

[ He's trusting Hwi to not order an entire carved roast by himself, though the concern is less about money and more about the preparation time. ]

[Jun listens as he walks, taking the information quietly as usual. Drawing elements from around you? Yeah, that was different from how his abilities worked up until now. ]

So draw from the earth rather than myself... [That will be important to remember for sure.

As they walk outside the city, Jun can't help but stare a little in awe of the natural beauty around this place. He hadn't ventured outside the city walls yet, so this was new to him. It reminded him of the park he lived by in Morimiya, but much much larger. Truly an sight to behold.

Enough of a sight that he almost misses what Zhongli says. Oops. Luckily, he focuses up in time.]

Elemental sight? [That...sounded a little bit like his sensing.] Let's see... [As instructed, he takes a deep breath and tries to focus on it...like in the early days when he was learning how to refine his spirit sensing. And since that training wasn't too different...it's not long until he starts to see some flows of energy]

-- Oh! I think I see it!

[ It is not impossible to cast from one's own vitality, but the downside to that is that it quickly kills the individual involved. Most of Teyvat's natural Vision users have been trained to use external sources since receiving it, so it's not something oft heard off.

Zhongli folds his arms, watching Jun as he tries to connect with Teyvat's elemental forces. It doesn't take too long - Elemental Sight is not too different from other types of magical senses, after all. ]

Good work. Now, try to focus on the Geo energy beneath you, and make it rise to the surface.

[ If Jun is able to connect with the earth correctly, he would be able to make a small mound of soil appear out of the ground. ]

In a sense. My friend would do it, and I'd help him sometimes.

[When Kou asked for help anyway. Though, he was getting better at offering to help before being contacted. So hey progress.

He turns to eye the bauble the man is holding. Luckily, he does recognize it]

...That's a Vision. It's a gift from the gods in this world that lets someone control a particular element.

Ahaha, it's no problem! I can understand where you're coming from - my memory isn't as good as it used to be either. [ his dusty 2000+ year old ass... ] But if it's any consolation, I'd remember someone like you. Perhaps you should tell me your name so that I wouldn't forget again.

[ this dapper gentleman sticks out of the mondstadt crowd like a sore thumb, but it's not a bad thing, figaro muses. in fact, he's a little honored that this man approached him like a friend - it makes him feel a little less lonely in this world.

anyway, moving on. ]

I'm good with any kind of drink, but this time I prefer something nice and rich to go with my dinner. That Sweet Madame they're serving up looks divine, so I'll have that.

Edited 2021-01-19 07:50 (UTC)

Right back at you.

[ He motions at Elliot to follow him with his hand, and he starts walking in the direction of what appears to be a cathedral, maybe? ]

Apparently we're on a planet known as Teyvat. I can't pull up its coordinates, but it looks a lot like earth.

[ He's assuming Elliot's from earth, at least?? ]

I was planning on heading there, so yeah.

[ He sounds pretty stern, but he does turn to look at Minako so he can nod his head and urge her to follow him. He seems to be surveying his other surroundings as he walks, though, like he's looking for something. Maybe a few somethings? Hard to say. He's sure looking at everything with a critical eye, though. ]

I don't have a good feeling about this.

Pretty sure it did. Unless the person who fixed it didn't do their job well, it's weird that it's already broken again.

[ On top of other things being weird, but. ]

I can't describe it well, but something feels...off.

Looks like it.

[ Which is not ideal whatsoever, but it is what it is. ]

I don't know if anyone here knows about that dream. The residents don't seem even remotely surprised at our arrival.

...In your current state?

[ Hmmmm. ]

What's that supposed to mean? Everything okay?

[ You're not hurt or anything, are you, Tio.... ]

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JANUARY MINGLE

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ii. the thread that will end in record time

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what a good papa... single tear..........

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